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The past few days have been incredible not only for this country, but for the world. And I am not alone in writing down the obvious. Everywhere people are pinning their hopes and dreams on this amazing man. My children are no exception.
When taking dinner to the lead WI Obama Office on Tuesday my four-year-old asked me why “John McCain wants the war?” We talked about having differing opinions and how that can be good. We briefly discussed how wars are difficult to understand but how they ultimately kill people and that is just wrong. He wondered if Obama was going to be like The Avatar and just “Taked the bad guy’s power away and not killed him?” I just sat and thought about the final Avatar episode he was referring to and I imagined Obama walking up to Karl Rove, Bin Laden, W., and all the others I consider “The Bad Guys” and “taking their power away.” “He already has done that to some,” I said. “We can always hope he gets to do that to the rest.”
I hope to be able to post a picture of a group of neighborhood kids and moms who went out on Tuesday and stood at a very busy intersection and did visibility for Obama. My six-year-old ran up and down the sidewalk screaming “OBAMA!! WHOOOOOO!!!” People honked horns and cheered us on. Teenagers walking home from the high school cheered us on and thanked us for standing out there.
Oscar’s first political memory will be of the first black man elected President of the United States. More importantly his first memory will be of a man elected President who is honorable, smart, steady, and honest. He will live through 8 years of peace, prosperity and hope. He will come of age during a time when the social fabric of our nation gets stitched back together in a more representative fashion. He will mature knowing that sacrifice and working hard for others is something that makes a country great, fills you with pride, and bonds you to your fellow citizens.
He came home from school on Wednesday all worked up about talking about the election in school. His school is amazingly diverse, even though we live in Madison, WI. He told me about how his principal announced that Barack Obama would be our next President during her morning announcements and that the entire school cheered. He said she chose a group of kids to help her make the announcement from her office. “Mom! They cheered into the microphone and we all got so excited! Mrs. Perry had tears in her eyes, JUST LIKE YOU!”
Yet my hope is tempered with the knowledge of all that we have yet to face. But for now I will try to stay in the moment and enjoy my children’s excitement. I will continue to help Oscar with the card he is making for President Obama to congratulate him and thank him for being his President. He wants to tell President Obama that he knows he will do his best.
Amazing times we live in. Amazing times.
I have decided to support, unequivocally, Barack Obama for President. Not since Paul Wellstone have I felt this excited and inspired by a candidate. It was a difficult decision for me, but watching him over the past two weeks solidified my desire to not only win in December, but to have him lead our country.
I really like Hillary Clinton. I think she is one of the smartest, savviest and capable politicians of our time. Articulate, thoughtful and driven not only for her own personal success but, I believe, she is driven by and truly has our country’s best interest at heart. And I like her policies and approach to international issues. Not only that, but she is a woman and for better or for worse that factors into my decision. I want a woman to be president and soon.
But … (and this is the most important factor for me) I don’t think she can incite the type of excitement or the support of Independents that this campaign needs. I am still not convinced that she would lose in November. I think she could pull it off. But I don’t think she would pull it off in the type of campaign that would pull our young people into action and that would pull our country together.
Obama’s message of hope is what, I believe, our country needs. His message will take us through the financially difficult times I think that we will face in the next few years and I think that he will gain a groundswell of populace support that will carry him through the first two years of his presidency, at least, and garner legislation that lifts us out of the many mistakes that have occurred in the past 8 years.
This nation is coming to understand how much the current administration truly sucks. Every day more and more information about them surfaces and it is casting a dark shadow of mistrust among the populace never before experienced. Obama’s positive message and amazing oratorical abilities will, I believe, lift peoples spirits and move them to action.
His message is honest. He will not fix this nation with policies and programs, but WE will. He cannot carry us through this difficult time alone, but together we can do it. That is what we all need. A big kick in the ass telling us that consuming goods is not enough to make this country whole again. It is up to us to come together and work together to make it happen. And how does that actually work? By inspiring the young, the 20-somethings and the teens, to get involved in community action.
If anyone can do that he can. I want him to win so badly that it hurts. So here I go, getting involved in yet another campaign. Unlike the last two elections, however, my time, effort and money will be well spent.
If you are interested in a more eloquent an intelligent essay on the abilities of Obama, check out this letter to the editor in the Jamaica Gleaner News.
Also, Oscar went to his first political rabble-rousing meeting last night. More on that later. He is, however, PUMPED UP! Check out his morning art:
Barack Obama you are a star
